EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Five Prairie Farms' cheese plants were among the top winners of the American Cheese Society Judging and Competition, the largest event of its kind for American-made cheeses. The award ceremony was held during the 39th Annual American Cheese Society Conference in Portland, Oregon, on July 20-23. This year's competition featured cheeses from 196 companies with over 1,400 entries competing in 120 categories and tested by an esteemed panel of 30 judges.

Prairie Farms' Shullsburg Creamery in Shullsburg, Wisconsin, crafted three delightful surprises for the ACS judges in the Flavored Cheeses, Butter, and Cultured Dairy Products Category:

• Open Category - Cheeses with Flavor Added – all milks and mixed milks:

o 2nd Place: Shullsburg Creamery Jack n Dill

o 3rd Place: Shullsburg Creamery Cranberry Chipotle Cheddar

• Cheese Curds with Flavor Added – all milks:

o 3rd Place: Shullsburg Creamery Jalapeno Cheese Curds

In the Blue Mold Cheeses Category, the Prairie Farms' plants in Mindoro, Wisconsin, and Faribault, Minnesota, received two awards:

• 2nd Place: Mindoro Collection: Blue Cheese Wheel (Subcategory - Rindless Blue-veined – made from cow's milk)

• 2nd Place: Caves of Fairbault Felix Blue (Subcategory - Blue-veined with a rind or external coating – made from cow's milk)

In the American Made/International Style Category, it was a near-sweep with the Prairie Farms' Shullsburg (White Hill), Wisconsin, and Luana, Iowa plants taking two of three awards in the Emmental-style with Eye

Formation Swiss, Baby Swiss, Blocks, Wheels Subcategory:

• 2nd Place: Baby Swiss Wheel

• 3rd Place: Swiss Cheese

Finally, in the Low Fat/Low Salt Cheeses Category, Prairie Farms' Luana, Iowa plant was awarded 2nd place for Neufchatel in Light/Lite and Reduced Fat Cheeses Subcategory

"We are fortunate to have an experienced team of dedicated cheese makers producing award-winning cheeses our consumers can enjoy," said Mike Christensen, Cheese Division Vice President of Sales. "All of which would not be possible without our farmer community providing us with the highest quality milk.